Cappuccinos, Cupcakes, and a Corpse

This was a cute first book in a light cozy mystery which is a good pick for readers who like a little murder with their java fix. Cappuccinos, Cupcakes, and a Corpse was a decent start to a new-to-me series and was an easy listen with a bit of romance and a simpler mystery with an amateur sleuth (naturally). 

I listened to this book in its eAudiobook format and the narrator, Marguerite Gavin, did a good job narrating the various characters but the mystery was on the lighter, less twisty side. This simpler story made for an easy-listening audiobook, but the details of this book will probably fade from my memory quickly. 

This cozy had the requisite small town feel, a predictable romance and even a cute canine t'boot. While not my favourite cozy mystery, I'm hoping for a bit more depth in the main characters and twists to the mysteries in the other 9 books currently in this series. I plan to give this author another shot by downloading and listening to the next book in the series, Tea, Tiramisu, and Tough Guys from my public library's digital collection.

My Rating: 3 stars

Author: Harper Lin

Genre: Cozy Mystery

Series: #1 in the Cape Bay Café Mystery series

Type and Source: unabridged eAudiobook from public library

Run Time: 4 hours, 32 minutes

Narrator: Marguerite Gavin

Publisher: Tantor Audio

First Published: May 25, 2015

Opening Lines: I was bent over a cappuccino, carefully moving my milk pitcher to etch a design into the foam, when Mrs. D'Angelo burst into the café.

Book Description from GoodReads: A new culinary cozy mystery series with recipes from bestselling author Harper Lin

Francesca Amaro moves back to her hometown of Cape Bay, Massachusetts, and takes over the family business, Antonia’s Italian Café. She spends her days making delicious artisan cappuccinos, until she stumbles upon her neighbor’s dead body. When the police discover Mr. Cardosi was poisoned, Francesca becomes a suspect.

The victim’s son, Matty, happens to be Francesca’s old high school friend. Together, they uncover the secrets of the locals in order to find the killer in their idyllic beach town.